University of Colorado Denver Dept. of Theater, Film and Video Production CRN FILM 2150-001 Film and Video Post Production II Spring 2008 10912 Meeting Day(s) Tu/Th Meeting Time Professor: David Liban (303) 352-3868 david.liban@cudenver.edu Site Building 11:30 – 1:30 Auraria CU Denver Campus Bldg Office Hours: Tues/Thus @ Auraria campus: Admin Bldg 210C 2:00 – 4:30 Room 815C Course Syllabus Film and Video Post-Production II -- FILM 2150-001 Prereq: FILM 1050 and 1640 or permission of instructor; co-req.: FILM 2000 Course Description: Students will edit the projects filmed as per assignment in FILM 2000. Cutting for narrative and storytelling are stressed. Importation of sound and visual effects files are covered. Students use Avid non-linear digital editing software, Adobe After Effects and Photoshop to successfully finish the assignments. The goal is for students to uncover the building blocks, personal decisions, and practices that make up the craft of editing and postproduction. Rhythm, pace, structure, and general editing conventions will be considered. Cutting for narrative, both fiction and non-fiction storytelling are stressed. The course will be both practical and theoretical. Each member of the class will gain experience editing and learning the concepts, procedures, problems, and challenges presented in this art form. Successful students will have shown through in-class exercises and specific course assignments the ability to pursue and retain knowledge, evaluate the significance of the knowledge, synthesize ideas from multiple sources, and apply what is learned to work and life situations. “Because you know the software, does not make you an editor.” Learning how to recognize good editing and creating a seamless narrative is only achieved through practice, analysis, awareness, and exhibition. The goal is to train students to be artisans and not simply button-pushers. Method of Instruction: There will be both lecture and demonstrations, and you will also have time to edit during class with the professor present. You will be working with the raw footage that you will be shooting concurrently in Production 2. Be prepared to spend many hours outside of class editing your projects. I will be using the CUonline service, ‘Blackboard’ for communication, test taking, and distribution of information. Failure to participate in the online component of the course will result in failure. You will not be able to complete the course if you do not sign on to Blackboard. The website is http://blackboard.cuonline.edu. Course Objectives: To provide students with a solid foundation of video editing, To learn skills and concepts to better communicate ideas and messages To become familiar with Avid non-linear editing software. To understand other multimedia applications and how they are used in conjunction with editing software. Required Text: Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Film and DV Production by Mick Hurbis-Cherrier. Focal Press. In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing by Walter Murch On Directing Film by David Mamet Method of Evaluation: Throughout the course you will be given editing assignments, written assignments, and quizzes. Your grade will be determined as follows. Editing assignments: Quizzes Midterm and Final Exam Attendance Class participation Final Editing project 35 % 10% 10% 10% 5% 30% Quizzes may be given without notice and will be based on the readings and class discussions. Not everyone is going to get an ‘A’ in the course. Simply by doing the minimum work and attending each class is ‘C’ work. ‘C’ equals an average grade; ‘B’ shows you’ve gone beyond the minimum, and an ‘A’ shows that you’ve gone far beyond the course expectations. *I do use a plus/minus system in grading Grading Scale: A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF = = = = = = = = = = = = 94--100 90--93 88--89 83--87 80--82 78--79 73--77 70--72 68--69 63--67 60--62 59 and below Use this scale to track your progress and calculate your grades for each category as you complete the different tasks for the course. Listed next to each grade is a brief explanation of the skills and competencies each student is expected to achieve: A 94--100--Outstanding grasp of the material, excellent attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, excellent written work, 100% attendance, all assignments completed on time, and complete and a thorough understanding of the subject matter. A- 90--93--Excellent grasp of the material, excellent attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, excellent written work, 100% attendance, and complete and thorough understanding of the subject matter. B+ 88--89--Well above average grasp of the material, excellent attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, very good written work, 100% attendance, all assignments completed on time, and a thorough understanding of the subject matter. B 83--87--Above average grasp of the material, very good attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, very good written work, 100% attendance, all assignments completed on time, and a solid understanding of the subject matter. B- 80--82--Slightly above average grasp of the material, good attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, good written work, 100% attendance, almost all assignments completed on time, and a solid understanding of the subject matter. C+ 78--79--Average grasp of the material, above average attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, above average written work, less than 100% attendance, almost all assignments completed on time, and a working knowledge of the subject matter. C 73--77--Average grasp of the material, average attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, average written work, less than 100% attendance, most assignments completed on time, and a working knowledge of the subject matter. C- 70--72--Below average grasp of the material, below average attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, average written work, less than 100% attendance, most assignments completed on time, and a working knowledge of the subject matter. D+ 68--69-- Below average grasp of the material, less than adequate attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, below average written work, less than 100% attendance, assignments rarely completed on time, and a lack of understanding of the subject matter. D- 60--62--Little grasp of the material, inadequate attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, inadequate written work, serious lack of attendance, frequent late or missing assignment and projects, poor writing skills, and lack of understanding of the subject matter. F 59--below--No discernable grasp of the material, no attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, inadequate written work, serious lack of attendance, late or missing assignment and projects, poor writing skills, and lack of understanding of the subject matter. Editing Assignments: There will be 4 projects through the semester. Campus Story Subvertisement Lost Art 3 – 7 minute story Due Dates and Assignments: In the world of Film, Television and Video Production, missed deadlines are unacceptable and often grounds for failure. Therefore there will be penalties for missed tests and late work. For each day an assignment is late you will lose a letter grade. Missed tests may not be retaken without a doctor’s note or some verifiable calamity. All tests will be given via Blackboard and you’ll have a window of time in which to take this test. - No work will be accepted after the course has ended. - Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and can be cause for failure for the course. Technology Requirements: Each person is required to have his or her own firewire hard drive. This is an external device that you attach to the computer via Firewire. When purchasing this drive, you must be sure you are buying a Firewire Drive with 7200 RPM’s (or better) and NOT simply a USB drive. This will make your projects easily accessible from any workstation and make it possible for you to save your work on two systems. A firewire drive can cost from $95 to $250 depending on the storage size and brand. I recommend at least 160 Gigabits. Additionally, you’ll need a flash drive. Also you will need to bring a set of headphones to class. You can use earbuds, but headphones that cover your ears will be better. All of these items can and should be reused throughout your college career, so this purchase is not just for this class. Conduct Please turn off cell phones before class. Ringing cell phones can be highly disruptive. Turn them off, not just to buzz. Also, texting no longer will be tolerated. It too is disruptive and annoying and in some cases a great distraction to the class and the student doing the texting. Note: Please be aware that at times during class we may be viewing some material that has been rated R by the MPAA and will have some sexual scenes, graphic violence, and strong language. If this will cause you to be offended, please see me during the first week of the class so we can find a suitable alternative. Schedule of class meetings and assignments: **Be aware that this schedule is subject to change. Where you see blank sections in the table below there will be either lectures based on the readings and/or class editing time. Calendar January 22 January 24 January 29 January 31 Class introduction and expectations Post Production Overview and Work Flow Chapter 20 Principles and Process of Digital Editing February 5 February 7 February 12 February 14 February 19 February 21 February 26 Chapter 21: The Art and Technique of Editing Project 1 due (campus story) Sound Design in Film Cutting Sound and Working with Multiple Tracks Finishing, Mastering and Distribution February 28 March 4 March 6 March 11 March 13 March 18 March 20 March 25 March 27 April 1 April 3 April 8 April 10 April 15 Reading Assignments Chapter 19 - Chapter 22 Chapter 23: Chapter 24: Murch- Intro & pages 1 -22 Project 2 due Subvertisement Mid-term Murch 23 - 56 Murch 57 - 72 Project 3 rough cut due Spring Break Spring Break Murch 75 - 114 Production 3 due Final Project – Rough Cuts Mamet 56 - 67 due. April April April April 17 22 24 29 May 1 May 6 Final Project due Mamet 67 - 101 Mamet 103 - 107 Must submit to two festivals or distribution outlets. May 8 Final exam week May 12 – 16 CAM SYLLABUS ADDENDUM Important Dates for Spring 2008 Students are responsible for knowing all academic dates for each semester they are enrolled. Please see the Registrar’s website (www.cudenver.edu/registrar) for the full academic calendar. The calendar information below applies to College of Arts & Media (CAM) majors. Non-CAM majors should consult their advising offices. January 21 Martin Luther King Day holiday: No classes, campus open. January 27 Last day to ADD a course on-line that has space available. January 28 Waitlists dropped. Last day to DROP a course without a drop charge of $100 January 29 First day to add a course by obtaining the faculty signature on a Schedule Adjustment Form (must submit form to the Service Center in NC 1003 within 5 days of signature date) January 29 Courses can be dropped using S.M.A.R.T, $100 fee applies to each course that is dropped February 6 by 5pm Census Date (all paperwork must be turned in to Service Center (NC 1003) by 5pm, with all required signatures): Last day to request No Credit or Pass/Fail without a Dean’s/Advising Office signature. Last day to DROP a course on-line and receive a tuition adjustment (DROP FEES APPLY). After this date, you must submit a “Late Drop Petition Form” and a “Schedule Adjustment Form” signed by the faculty for each course to be dropped to the CAM Dean’s/Advising office (ARTS 177). Petitioning does not guarantee that the late drop will be approved. Even if your petition is approved, you will not automatically receive a tuition adjustment and the course will appear on your transcript. Last day to ADD a course. If the class does not appear, on Feb 6, as “enrolled” on your schedule, you are not registered for the class. (After this date, you must petition the CAM Dean’s/Advising Office (ARTS 177) to add a class by using the “Schedule Adjustment Form” and CAM “Late Add Petition Form.” If approved, YOU will have to pay the full tuition; College Opportunity Fund does not apply. Late approvals to add a class are rarely approved.) Last day to submit INTENT TO GRADUATE. Submit “Intent to Graduate” form online at http://www.cudenver.edu > Registrar/SMART, and select “Graduation Information” on the left side of the page. (Late forms will not be accepted. A student who fails to submit his/her “Intent to Graduate form” by February 6, 2008 may apply to graduate for Summer or Fall 2008.) March 24-30 Spring Break: No classes, campus open. April 7 See information above concerning the February 6 CAM deadline. The Academic Calendar “last day to drop” of April 7 does not apply to CAM majors. May 12-17 Finals Week May 17 Commencement May 26 Grades available on S.M.A.R.T. If the class does not appear as “enrolled” on your schedule, you are not registered for this course. It is your responsibility to verify that you are registered for the classes you are taking. This includes getting all signatures needed on all of the required forms, as well as turning the forms into the Student Service Center in NC 1003 by the due date. General Information There will be a DROP CHARGE of $100 for all classes dropped between January 29th and February 6th (Census Date). There are NO EXCEPTIONS!! Please plan your schedule accordingly. All students are responsible for keeping all contact information up to date with the University. University policy is that the University-assigned email is the required form of contact. If you do not check your school email, you will be missing important information from the College. If you forward University email to an outside provider, you do so at your own risk. There is no longer a “Quiet Week.” Classes are required to meet (and new information can be presented) during the week before Finals Week. In order to fulfill CCHE contact hour requirements, classes must also meet during finals week, whether or not a final exam is being given. CAM Scholarships are awarded by academic year. The application process occurs during the Spring Semester. Student Code of Conduct As a University of Colorado Denver student (or taking a UC Denver class), you are expected to abide by the University of Colorado Denver Student Code of Conduct. The following is a link for the University of Colorado Denver Student Code of Conduct: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/studlife/01pages/Codeofconduct.html Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) FERPA was created to protect the privacy rights of the students. Due to the privacy restrictions, you will need to refer to your syllabus for each class for specific information regarding the collection and the return of student work. For more information on FERPA please go to: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html IW/IF Policy Incomplete information, request forms, and instructions are available at www.cudenver.edu/cam/advising under “forms.” In order to receive an IF or IW the following five items must have been completed and approved at all levels: A student must have completed at least 75% of the course with a passing grade and there must be compelling, extraordinary, verifiable circumstances beyond the student’s control which made the completion of the course impossible. Students are responsible for requesting and processing the request for the IW/IF. Contracts, with all required signatures, must be received in AR 177 by 5:00 pm on the last day of regular classes (the Friday before finals week). A student must submit a copy of the syllabus and verification of reason for request (e.g. doctor’s note). The form must be signed by faculty and have attached documents before being submitted to the Dean’s/Advising Office. Paperwork must be processed and approved by the Dean’s/Advising Office before the first day of Finals Week. A student has one academic year to complete the work as specified on IF/IW Form. Disability Services Information To ensure disability-related concerns are properly addressed, students with disabilities who require assistance to participate in this class are expected to contact your instructor as soon as possible. For further information regarding disability-related accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services, at 303.556.3450 or in NC 2514. Religious Holiday Accommodations Faculty in the University of Colorado system have a legal and moral obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to students who must be absent because of religious holidays. As with any anticipated absence from class, students need to inform faculty members at the beginning of the semester regarding any known absences.